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TABLE KNIFE. No. 298,829. Patented May 20, 1884.

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ARTHUR \V. COX, OF NEWVARK, NEW JERSEY.

TABLE-KNIFE.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,829, dated May 20, 1884.

Application filed March 19, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR W. 00X, a citizen of the United States, residing at N ewark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Table-Knives; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and we act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has relation to knives and forks; and it consists essentially, in the peculiar form of the handle, and in other improvements, as will be described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side and Fig. 2 an edge view of my improved knife. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the blade.

The handle A may be made of any suitable material, and either cast, molded, or carved into the form shown, which will be described.

It is well known that the handles of tableknives in common use are ill-adapted to the uses of ahandle, being too short, badly shaped, and in most cases unbalanced. In my improved handle I have aimed to attain sym-.

metry of shape and a nice distribution of materiahwhich gives the handle an even balance with the blade or other attached article. Near its forward end I reduce the width of the handle, and form the finger-rest a by widening the handle laterally. I continue these rests at their forward ends by the upwardly-curved projection a, as clearly shown. This rest, it will be seen, provides a construction whereby a forward force may be applied to the knifeblade without involving the tight grasp thereof, as in handles of ordinary construction. Good results will be had when the finger-rest described is formed only on one edge of the handle; but I prefer to form one on both edges, so that it may be used with a double-edged blade, as shown. The handle in advance of the finger-rest is gradually contracted, forming a neck, in or upon which I secure the tang of the blade, for which purpose I prefer to slot the contracted forward end at a", said slot being formed in a plane at right angles to the finger-rests, as clearly shown. It is manifest that instead of slotting the handle, as described, the tang of the blade may be slotted and opened in foot shape, and fitted over the contracted end of the handle. In either case it would be necessary to use rivets or other fastening devices, as will be appreciated.

The handle shown, it will be seen, is longer than the common handle, and is provided in its opposite edges with indentations a a into which fit the fingers passed under the handle in using same.

The blade 13 is made shorter than usual, and is preferablyprovided' with two cutting-edges. My object in constructing this blade is to reduce it to the smallest amount of surface required for use at the table. Table-knives ordinarily have two or three times as much blade-surface as is required for use, and I aim to dispense with the superfluous portions, and thereby reduce the cost and labor of mannfacturing blades, as will be appreciated; also, by

bringing the cutting-surface near the hand of the user, a better control of the knife is secured. I provide this blade with a shank, I), on the end of which I form the tang b, fitted for attachment to the forward end of the handle, as before described.

It will be seen that by making the fingerrest wider laterally than the body of the handle I secure additional finger-bearing, and also provide means for holding the blade clear of the linen when laid on the table, as the handle will rest on its side and bear on the table at its finger-rest portions and its rear end,which position will throw the blade above the line of support.

In grasping the described handle, the hand of the user is always on the handle and never on the blade, while with the common tableknife the'hand of the user is usually resting more or less on the blade.-

This handle is preferably made with indentations on its outer edges, but may be made with other designs of outline.

It is intended, also, to make this form of knife in one single piece of metal, commonly called a solid knife. This is accomplished by the usual means for producing such, work, such as dies, forges, &c. Such knives are invariably silver-plated.

Having thus described myinvention, what I its opposite edges, and laterally-extended fin- I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ger-rests provided with upwardly-curved conistinuations or stops, and having its forward 15 1. A handle provided with a finger-rest eX- end in advance of such finger-rests contracted, tending laterally beyond the common thickas deseribed,andadaptedto supporttheblade,

ness of the handle and continued forward in I substantially as set forth. an upwardly-curved stop portion, and having I In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in its end in advance of said rest contracted, as presence of two witnesses.

described, forming a neck adapted to receive ARTHUR W. COX. :0 the blade, substantially as set forth. \Vitnesses:

2. As an article of manufacture, the herein- J. BANISTER, J r.,

described handle, formed with indentations on I J. T. BULLIVANT. 

